'On Message' – Coogan Exemplifies IU’s Winning Mindset
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Center Pat Coogan didn’t have to be there, 20 yards down field, having Fernando Mendoza’s back as Indiana’s Heisman Trophy winning quarterback slashed his way through Oregon’s defense in a Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl-defining moment.
But Coogan was there because conceding a play isn’t in his nature. In his world, at 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds, you always hustle because you never know when it could make a difference, when the fickle nature of an often-fickle sport surfaces and unexpected opportunity/disaster arises.
It did then and might again Monday night when the top-seeded Hoosiers (15-0) face 10th-seeded Miami (13-2) for the national championship at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Flash back to the Peach Bowl. The Hoosiers were in blowout mode and driving for more when an Oregon player punched out the ball from Mendoza’s grasp. It tumbled onto the Mercedes-Benz Stadium artificial turf in the red zone available to anyone. Coogan was there to recover it, and if his form lacked textbook technique -- head coach Curt Cignetti later joked that Coogan needs to work on his ball-recovery technique -- it did prove to be a touchdown saver in the Hoosiers’ 56-22 victory.
What sparked that effort?
“It's definitely a mindset that's been instilled in me from an early age,” Coogan says, “just way back when chasing after the ball. Because you really never know, right? Those abilities to hop on loose balls can change the game and change the outcome of a game. They happen every so often, but they're big moments. They're really big moments.”
This is the effort that made Coogan a standout on last season’s national runner-up Norte Dame team. It’s among the reasons why Cignetti wanted him out of the transfer portal, and why Coogan has thrived on one of the nation’s best offensive lines.
“It's happened a few times to me in my career,” Coogan says about recovering a fumble. “Yeah, any one of us could have been in that position because any one of us runs after the ball and takes great pride in that. It just so happened that the ball bounced our way and bounced my way.
“I was happy to be there for my quarterback because he's been there for me many times. He's had my back numerous times, so I was happy to have his for once.”
For Coogan and the offensive line, happiness centers on keeping Mendoza out of harm’s way and opening holes for running backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby against a fierce Miami defensive front.
“Yeah, it's one of the best,” Coogan says about the Hurricanes’ defense, “but at the same time, we take great pride in protecting the quarterback no matter who we're playing. I think that's an absolute key emphasis for us to protect the quarterback and run the ball. That's part of who we are and our DNA.
“No matter who we're playing, we have to protect our quarterback. We have to protect him in every situation, every down. We know how special he can be and how good our offense can be when we give him the time to execute.”
IU’s Big Ten-best offense (42.6 points a game) faces a Miami defense that allows 14.0.
Amid intense national title game hype, the Hoosiers are well prepared, having thrived in some of the season’s biggest games. That’s certainly true in the last month with wins over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and Oregon.
Coogan says the Hoosiers, loaded with veterans and directed by a head coach well versed in getting his players focused and motivated, can handle the moment.
“We understand that outside noise is exactly what it is, it's outside,” Coogan says. “It has no impact on our ability to perform on the football field. It's not going to score us any touchdowns. It's not going to convert any third downs. It's not going to stop any third downs or get us off the field.
“It's all clutter; it's all noise; it's all distraction, and we have a very veteran group, a very mature group. Certainly, Coach Cig instills that mindset of eliminate all noise and clutter.
“We try our best to. We're human, so sometimes it gets difficult. But I believe we have done a great job of doing so and we need to continue to do so.”
Staying true to Cignetti’s winning approach, Coogan adds, makes all the difference.
“This is a very veteran group. It's a mature group. It's a group that's been around the block, played a lot of football. It’s a group that knows how to take messages and put them on the field because of how much football we've played, how much football a lot of guys have played together. We’ve done a great job of taking (Cignetti’s) mindset and putting it into between the white lines.
“It certainly starts with him. It’s a mindset that he implements within our program. Even starting back in January, February, he's saying the same stuff he's saying before we walk out for the Peach Bowl. The message doesn’t change. That's why we see this success. It's ingrained in our minds.”